Dear Readers of this blog: Please permit me to ask you a very personal question: Have you ever catalogued any of your prayers to the Almighty? Like, perhaps in a scrapbook or diary or just in a plain spiral notebook. And, did you record the answers you received…if any? Well, for this week’s blog a strange thing happened to me. As I was surveying my book shelf, I ran across a scrapbook chucked full of daily prayers concerning world events and situations for the entire month of March, 2006!

As I leafed through it I recognized it as a theology study assignment I had to complete in one of my classes while attending The School of Ministry sponsored by Covenant Church located in a city in Texas, where I was a member. Our professor had just informed the class that we would be embarking upon our first mission trip at the end of our first academic year, and we would be responsible to finance all of our own expenses for air travel. The church would provide expenses for room and board. The classes’ assignment was to draft our first donation request letter that we would send to our family and friends and request financial support for this venture.

Our teacher explained that as future international missionaries, there would be lots of times in our work for the Lord that we would have to solicit funds from abroad to complete many mission related assignments, projects, and tasks in our sphere of foreign mission services.

So, on March 18, 2006, the Holy Spirit directed me to compose my first donation letter that was to inspire others to dig in their pockets and contribute to my deep passion to become one who is sent by God to the uttermost parts of the world. So, this time, I upped the ante..I went to God humbly with a bouquet of Bluebonnets, Texas state flower. I thought just an olive branch would not do.

March 18, 2006

Dearly Beloved Family members, Friends and Well-wishers;

Please forgive me for the long delay in between my last update correspondence to you as to how I am learning how to mature in Christ.  Well, since moving here, I have enrolled in the School of Ministry sponsored by Covenant Church.  In addition to my theology studies, the first year students are given an opportunity to round out their first academic year by participating in a short-term mission trip.

After prayerful consideration, I know I am called to once again team up with follow missionaries and go to Latin America to assist in as many ministry activities as I can.

As the Lord leads you, I would love to have your support in my carrying out this worthwhile project.  I have enclosed a brochure explaining the many programs that are in need of yours and my prayers and support.

Can I count on you to help me contribute to make a world of difference in someone's life.  Covenant Training Institute is very well known in this state for its outstanding curriculum for missionaries.  I am really excited about this opportunity to serve.

Upon my return from the mission field, I will send you my newsletter and pictures of the work the Holy Spirit is doing in those countries.

Please read all of the enclosed literature, follow the instructions and return the tear-off to me.  If you have any questions, please call.  Whatever your contribution, it will be graciously and gratefully appreciated.

Your personal World Missionary and friend.    

MY prayer to you…(Written sometime in March 2006)

Dear Lord: There are a lot of missionaries presently serving in the mission field and a host of others who are preparing to depart on missionary trips. My home church currently has the Driscoll family ministering in Mexico. And a team of us will join them from March 11-18, 2006. A few months later, I will be a member of a mission team dispatched to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. According to Your will and Your ways, please keep all of us safe in Your arms. That’s my prayer in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Scripture Lesson: “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11-12)

(*) NOTE: The funny cartoon pictures and captions were added for emphasis for this blog.

(*)(*) NOTE: Now that was a bit over the top…don’t you think.

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from the Master’s servant manager…ME!

Hello to all my followers and visitors to this blog site. I profusely apologize for being a day late (Saturday) on publishing my blog. As you know, my mantra for my website is http://www.tgif…..which translates “thank God it’s Friday”. The rest of the identity is “masterminds.com”. Those words mean that my Master (God), uses my mind to communicate with Him.

I found it necessary to communicate this to you at this time because last week I experienced a very difficult and stressful time in the hospital and now that I have been released with a favorable report, I feel that a very heavy load has been lifted from my heart. So I asked the Holy Spirit to help me communicate with Him. Honestly, His reply was, let’s laugh together. So, below you will see what He suggested.

Gospel Quartet this is the funniest thing I have seen in a

I’ve got him, Jesus. He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother. Covid wont touch us.

“I believe in wearing a mask. He doesn’t.” “We don’t believe in wearing masks!”

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4:29NOW PLAYING Just click “playing” and listen to a most humorist rendition of a song sung by young boys. It will bust your belly.

After obeying the Holy Spirit’s advice, I felt much better in spirit. My spirits were lifted and filled with joy in my heart. Our Lord wants His children to be happy and full of peace and stability. In every situation in our lives, we must learn to live by the aide of the Holy Spirit. Why,, because He gives us the courage and hope in every situation and also He reminds us of God’s undying love.

Today, I feel much better. And I hope these few moments of laughter has caused your day to be much better, too.

See you next week…God willing… and the creek don’t rise. (*)

(*) Note:

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The expression “…the creek don’t rise” is an American slang expression implying strong intentions subject to complete frustration by uncommon but not unforeseeable events. It presumably evokes occasional and unpredictably extreme rainfall in Appalachia, that has historically isolated one rural neighborhood or another temporarily inaccessible on several or many occasions. It is sometimes thought that the word “Creek” instead refers to the Creek Indians, but this is unlikely.^[1][2]

Classic versions of its use tend to be along the lines of “The good Lord willing, and the creek doesn’t rise”—i.e. “If God so wills, and as long as intense rain does not wash away bridges or parts of dirt roads, or cover roads too deeply for safely following them.” It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like “… Lor’ willin’ an’ th’ crick don’ rise.”

Scripture Lesson: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from the Master’s servant manager…ME!